Pulp sheet gripping tool

ABSTRACT

A tool having a head fitted with a lengthy handle so that a workman can thrust the head deep into a pulp drying machine from a safe position outside the machine. The head has a base plate which slides along a surface supporting a sheet of pulp and a clamping jaw is carried at one end of the base plate. An arrangement of links and springs on the head cooperate to hold the clamping jaw open as the tool is advanced to the edge of the pulp sheet or a portion thereof. A flexible member is connected at one end to a part of the linkage and is trained alongside the handle so it can be pulled by the workman to cause the clamping jaw to snap under spring pressure into gripping engagement with an edge of the pulp sheet or pulp portion.

' United States Patent Knelson Dec. 23, 1975 PULP SHEET GRIPPING TOOL 1,021,790 4/1912 Newville .1 294/104 [76] Inventor: Harry Knelson, 1305 E. 6th Ave, I

Prince Rupert BC Canada v8] Primary ExammerEvon C'. Blunk 1Y1 Assistant E.raminer.lohnny D. Cherry [22] F1 d J 22 1975 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Fetherstonhaugh & C0.

1e an. [21] Appl. No.1 542,920 [57] ABSTRACT A tool having a head fitted with a lengthy handle so [30] Foreign Appucafion Priority Dam that a workman can thrust the head deep into a pulp Feb 12 974 Canada 19246] drymg machine from a safe position outside the machine. The head has a base plate which slides along a [52] U 8 Cl 294/19 294/)4 surface supporting a sheet of pulp and a clamping jaw [51] k A 1 13/06 is carried at one end of the base plate. An arrange- [58] Fie'ld S I 20 22 23 ment of links and springs on the head cooperate to 294/50 8 104 I 6 A 1 hold the clamping jaw open as the tool is advanced to the edge of the pulp sheet or a portion thereof. A flexible member is connected at one end to a part of the [56] References Cited linkage and is trained alongside the handle so it can be UNITED STATES PATENTS pulled by the workman to cause the clamping jaw to 458,614 9/1891 :3uddenberg 294/104 snap under spring pressure into gripping engagement with an edge of the pulp sheet or pulp portion. 897,163 8/1908 Shaw 294/104 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Sheet 1 of 2 Dec. 23, 1975 U.S. Patent US. Patent Dec.23, 1975 Sheet20f2 3,927,908

PULP SHEET GRIPPING TOOL My invention relates to a tool which is particularly adapted for use in the pulp and paper industry.

As a continuous sheet of pulp travels through a drying machine, it will sometimes break deep inside the machine which must be shut down immediately and then allowed to cool for a period of up to ten hours before the cleaning-up operation can be started. This loss of production time is objected to by the industry but the tools presently available give the maintenance crews in a pulp mill no other choice but to wait out a suitable cooling-off period before it is safe to reach or crawl into the dryer and remove any broken-off sections of pulp and in order that a new sheet of pulp may be threaded into the dryer for further production.

I have solved this long-standing problem by providing a tool which can be used to clean up a pulp dryer while it is still hot. The tool is operable by a workman standing in a position of safety outside the dryer and is readily mainpulated to reach in and seize pulp pieces or the like so that they can be drawn out.

In drawings which illustrate a preferred form of the invention;

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a tool constructed in accordance with the present invention in a typical position of use,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan of a head of the tool,

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the head showing a clamping jaw of the tool in closed position,

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the head with a handle of the tool removed,

FIG. 5 is a side elevation, part broken away, and showing the clamping jaw in open position, and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation, part in section, showing the construction of the tool handle.

Referring first to schematic FIG. 1, the numeral [0 indicates generally a tool which is shown being used to grip an edge of a sheet of pulp 11. A horizontal screen of a pulp drying machine is represented by the numeral 12 and normally the sheet 11 travels along this horizontal surface in the direction of arrow 14. Occasionally the sheet II will break and it then becomes necessary to shut down the drying machine so as to halt forward progress of the pulp sheet until such time that brokenoff sections of the pulp can be cleared away from the path of travel of the sheet proper.

The tool comprises a head which is fitted with a handle 2!. As shown in detail in FIGS. 2 to 5, the head 20 will be seen to comprise a base plate 24 having a rear edge 25, a horizontally curved front edge 26, and parallel side edges 27. Near the front edge 26, the plate 24 slopes downwardly to provide a portion 30 and this front portion has a top bevel 31 near said front edge. Plate 24 is mounted on transversely spaced runners 34 of wood or other suitable material which runners extend beneath the side edges 27 from the rear edge to a point near the curved front edge 26. Preferably, screws 35 which can be seen in FIG. 2 are used to secure the runners 34 to the underside of the base plate.

Mounted on the base plate 24, above the front portion 30, is a clamping jaw 40, see FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. Jaw 40 has a rear edge 41, a horizontally curved front edge 42, a top bevel 43 near this front edge, and parallel side edges 44 which are vertically aligned with the corresponding edges of the front portion 30. Extending into the clamping jaw 40 from the rear edge 4] to a point about mid-length of said jaw is a rectangular slot 46.

The clamping jaw 40 is hingedly connected to the base plate 24 by means generally indicated at 50. As best shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the hinged means 50 comprises a pair of transversely spaced bearings 52 which are provided on the top surface of the base plate 24 near the portion 30. The rear edge 41 of the clamping jaw 40 has rearwardly projecting bearings 53 which straddle the bearings 52 and a hinge shaft 54 extends through these four transversely aligned bearings. The transverse hinge shaft 54 is secured against withdrawal from the bearings by a nut 56 secured to each laterally projecting and threaded end of the shaft. Thus, the clamping jaw 40 can swing between a closed position (FIG. 3) and an open position (FIG. 5) with respect to the front portion 30 of the base plate.

The clamping jaw of the tool 10 is adapted to be opened and closed partly through the medium of linkage means generally indicated at 60. In FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the means 60 is best shown to comprise an upstanding lever 62 which is rockingly mounted on the hinge shaft 54. The jaw 40 is provided with a pair of bearing blocks 63 which are mounted on the top surface of this jaw alongside the side edges of the slot 46 and near the blind or front end thereof. Links 64 and 65 as well as pivot pins 66, 67 and 68 interconnect the lever 62 and the blocks 63. The double links 64 and 65 are disposed within the slot 46 and the pin 67 which interconnects these two links is fitted with a roller 70 which, at times, rides on the top surface of the front portion 30 to provide a smooth opening and closing movement of the clamping jaw 40.

The jaw 40 normally is held shut by resilient means generally indicated at 75, see FIGS. 2 to 5. Means comprises a pair of bell cranks 77 which are pivotally mounted one on each projecting end of the hinge shaft 54, the lever being held in position by a nut 56. Each lever 77 has an upper arm 77A which projects forwardly alongisde the side edge 44 of the clamping jaw and the front end of this arm is secured by a bolt 78 to said clamping jaw. The downwardly projecting leg 77B of each lever is notched as at 79 to receive one end of a spring 80 with the opposite end of said spring being anchored to a side edge 27 of the base plate by means of a bolt 82.

The resilient means 75 biases the clamping jaw 40 towards the closed position shown best in FIG. 3. When an upwardly directed pull is exerted on the front edge 42, the jaw 40 is swung about the hinge means 50 so that the lever 62 assumes the position shown in FIG. 5 where a lower edge thereof is resting on the portion 30. The roller 70 bears on the top surface of the portion 30 and the pin 67 is vertically aligned with or is slightly ahead of the pin 68. Springs 80 now are exerting pressure to hold the linkage in this position whereupon the jaw 40 cannot close unless the lever 62 is rocked towards the rear of the tool head.

This rocking of the lever 62 to allow the jaw 40 to snap shut under the influence of the resilient means 75 is accomplished by means of a length of cord 84. One end of this flexible member is secured as at to the lever 62, the point of attachment being a corner of a triangle formed with the shaft 54 and pin 66. The cord is trained through an eye 86 secured to the top of the base plate 24 and extends alongside the handle 21 to the outer end thereof.

The handle 21 is made up of a number of standard sections 21A, see FIG. 6. One end ofeach section 21A has a threaded rod 90 while the opposite end of said section is provided with an internally threaded bore 91 to receive the rod of an adjoining section. Thus, a suitable number of the sections can be interconnected to form a handle 21 of the required length depending on how far the head 20 has to be thrust into the pulp drying machine.

The tool is provided with mounting means gener ally indicated at 94 for releasably securing one end of the handle 21 to the base plate 24. Means 94 comprises a tubular socket 95 secured to the top surface of the plate 24 near the rear edge 25. The sleevelike socket 95 has a longitudinal slot 96 which extends forwardly from open rear end 97 of said socket to connect with a transverse recess 98. A section 21B of the handle is fitted with a ferrule 100 which carries a laterally projecting pin 101. When the ferrule 100 is slipped into the socket 95, the pin 100 travels along the slot 96 whereupon a partial turn of the handle will lodge the pin in the recess 97 thereby locking the head to the handle 21.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 5, the portion 30 and jaw 40 will be seen to have opposing faces 104 and 105 respectively between which the pulp sheet 11 is adapted to be clamped. Jaw 40 is provided with a plurality of suitably spaced teeth 106 which project below the face 105. The face 104 of the base plate portion 30 has recesses 107 to receive the tips of the teeth 106 when the clamping jaw is closed.

In use, the handle 21 made up of a number of sections 21A to the required length is secured to the head 20 by the mounting means 94 and the jaw 40 is opened by hand before the tool 10 is thrust into the dryer. As the head 20 is advanced by use of the handle, the cord 84 is played out so that one end thereof is accessible alongside the outer end of the handle. The workman manipulates the tool 10 to enter the portion 30 beneath the edge of the broken-off section of pulp he wishes to grip and then tugs on the cord 84. This rocks the lever 62 rearwardly and straightcns out the links 64 and 65 whereupon the resilient means 75 snaps the jaw 40 into clamping engagement with the pulp sheet. The teeth 106 project through the pulp and ensure a firm grip on the section of pulp which can then be pulled out of the dryer by means of the tool.

If the pulp sheet is quite wide, several of the tools may be attached in this manner and at regularly spaced intervals. Each tool is manned by a workman and a concerted pull by the group will draw an edge of a large pulp sheet into the required position.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent l have provided a simple, inexpensively constructed, and extremely effective tool for handling sheet material from a remote location.

I claim:

1. A tool for gripping an edge of a remote piece of sheet material comprising a base plate, a handle secured to the base plate and extending rearwardly thereof, said base plate having a front portion enterable beneath an edge of the sheet material, a clamping jaw adjacent the front portion, hinge means securing the clamping jaw to the base plate for swinging movement between an open and a closed position with respect to the front portion, resilient means biasing the clamping jaw towards the closed position, linkage means including an upstanding lever pivotally connecting the clamping jaw to the base plate and adapted to support said 4 jaw in the open position against pressure applied by the resilient means, a trip member secured at one end to the upstanding lever and extending rearwardly of the base plate substantially parallel to the handle.

2. A tool as claimed in claim 1, and including mounting means releasably securing one end of the handle to the base plate.

3. A tool as claimed in claim 2, in which said mounting means comprises a tubular socket having a longitudinal slot terminating in a transverse recess, and said handle having an end enterable into the tubular socket with a laterally projecting pin on said end movable through the longitudinal slot into the transverse recess.

4. A tool as claimed in claim 1, in which said handle comprises a plurality of detachable sections.

5. A tool as claimed in claim 1, in which said clamping jaw and said front portion have opposing faces between which the sheet is clamped, one of said oppos' ing faces having material-gripping teeth, and the other of said opposing faces having recesses to receive the material-gripping teeth when the clamping jaw is in closed position.

6. A tool as claimed in claim 5, in which said front portion has a horizontally curved front edge and a top bevel adjacent said front edge.

7. A tool as claimed in claim 1, in which said linkage means comprises a first link pivotally connected at one end to the clamping jaw and projecting through a slot formed in said clamping jaw, said upstanding lever being rockable about a transverse axis provided by the hinge means, a second link pivotally connecting the upstanding lever to the other end of the first link, and a roller carried by the connected ends of the first and second links adapted to ride on the front portion as the clamping jaw swings between open and closed position.

8. A tool for gripping an edge of a pulp sheet disposed within a drying machine and comprising a head and a handle, said head including a base plate having a downwardly sloping front portion, a clamping jaw above the front portion, hinge means securing one end of the clamping jaw to the base plate for swinging movement between an open and closed position with respect to the front portion, linkage means including an upstanding lever rockingly mounted on the hinge means and first and second links pivotally connecting said upstanding lever to the clamping jaw, resilient means biasing the clamping jaw towards the closed position and cooperating with the linkage means to support said clamping jaw in open position, a pull cord secured at one end to the upstanding lever and having an opposite end disposed near an end of the handle remote from the head, said front portion and said clamping jaw having opposing faces between which the pulp sheet is adapted to be gripped when said clamping jaw is in closed position, one of said opposing faces having pulp sheet gripping teeth, and the other of said opposing faces having recesses to receive the teeth of the closed clamping jaw.

9. A tool as claimed in claim 8, in which said base plate is mounted on longitudinally extending runners adapted to slide along a surface supporting the pulp sheet.

10. A tool as claimed in claim 8, in which said handle comprises a plurality of detachable sections, and mounting means for releasably securing one end of the handle to the top plate. 

1. A tool for gripping an edge of a remote piece of sheet material comprising a base plate, a handle secured to the base plate and extending rearwardly thereof, said base plate having a front portion enterable beneath an edge of the sheet material, a clamping jaw adjacent the front portion, hinge means securing the clamping jaw to the base plate for swinging movement between an open and a closed position with respect to the front portion, resilient means biasing the clamping jaw towards the closed position, linkage means including an upstanding lever pivotally connecting the clamping jaw to the base plate and adapted to support said jaw in the open position against pressure applied by the resilient means, a trip member secured at one end to the upstanding lever and extending rearwardly of the base plate substantially parallel to the handle.
 2. A tool as claimed in claim 1, and including mounting means releasably securing one end of the handle to the base plate.
 3. A tool as claimed in claim 2, in which said mounting means comprises a tubular socket having a longitudinal slot terminating in a transverse recess, and said handle having an end enterable into the tubular socket with a laterally projecting pin on said end movable through the longitudinal slot into the transverse recess.
 4. A tool as claimed in claim 1, in which said handle comprises a plurality of detachable sections.
 5. A tool as claimed in claim 1, in which said clamping jaw and said front portion have opposing faces between which the sheet is clamped, one of said opposing faces having material-gripping teeth, and the other of said opposing faces having recesses to receive the material-gripping teeth when the clamping jaw is in closed position.
 6. A tool as claimed in claim 5, in which said front portion has a horizontally curved front edge and a top bevel adjacent said front edge.
 7. A tool as claimed in claim 1, in which said linkage means comprises a first link pivotally connected at one end to the clamping jaw and projecting through a slot formed in said clamping jaw, said upstanding lever being rockable about a transverse axis provided by the hinge means, a second link pivotally connecting the upstanding lever to the other end of the first link, and a roller carried by the connected ends of the first and second links adapted to ride on the front portion as the clamping jaw swings between open and closed position.
 8. A tool for gripping an edge of a pulp sheet disposed within a drying machine and comprising a head and a handle, said head including a base plate having a downwardly sloping front portion, a clamping jaw above the front portion, hinge means securing one end of the clamping jaw to the base plate for swinging movement between an open and closed position with respect to the front portion, linkage means including an upstanding lever rockingly mounted on the hinge means and first and second links pivotally connecting said upstanding lever to the clamping jaw, resilient means biasing the clamping jaw towards the closed position and cooperating with the linkage means to support said clamping jaw in open position, a pull cord secured at one end to the upstanding lever and having an opposite end disposed near an end of the handle remote from the head, said front portion and said clamping jaw having opposing faces between which the pulp sheet is adapted to be gripped when said clamping jaw is in closed position, one of said opposing faces having pulp sheet gripping teeth, and the other of said opposing faces having recesses to receive the teeth of the closed clamping jaw.
 9. A tool as claimed in claim 8, in which said base plate is mounted on longitudinally extending runners adapted to slide along a surface supporting the pulp sheet.
 10. A tool as claimed in claim 8, in which said handle comprises a plurality of detachable sections, and mounting means for releasably securing one end of the handle to the top plate. 